


FE IF drabble

by february_face



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-20
Updated: 2018-04-20
Packaged: 2019-04-25 10:05:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14376504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/february_face/pseuds/february_face
Summary: ''An outlaw, living in the poor districts of Nohr. Due to being shy and having a troubled past she comes off as rather passive and repellent at first. Even though she has a hard exterior, she is very affectionate and goofy on the inside, surprising her alleys often. However, if you get on her bad side she will become very aggressive. Into arts. Swears a lot and heavily. Birthday is February 25.''basically a lil drabble for my fatesona that i never rly finished so consider the ending an open ending





	FE IF drabble

**Author's Note:**

> ''An outlaw, living in the poor districts of Nohr. Due to being shy and having a troubled past she comes off as rather passive and repellent at first. Even though she has a hard exterior, she is very affectionate and goofy on the inside, surprising her alleys often. However, if you get on her bad side she will become very aggressive. Into arts. Swears a lot and heavily. Birthday is February 25.''
> 
> basically a lil drabble for my fatesona that i never rly finished so consider the ending an open ending

Fatesona Info  
Tay  
Starter class: outlaw  
Buddy set: Leo -> dark mage  
Promotion: dark knight  
Weapons: bow  
Roots: nohrian (/victorian) and hoshidan  
Stats  
Luck: 15  
Strength: 16  
Speed: 8  
Stealth: 4  
Magic: 14  
Roster  
''An outlaw, living in the poor districts of Nohr. Due to being shy and having a troubled past she comes off as rather passive and repellent at first. Even though she has a hard exterior, she is very affectionate and goofy on the inside, surprising her alleys often. However, if you get on her bad side she will become very aggressive. Into arts. Swears a lot and heavily. Birthday is February 25.''  
Profile  
Born and grown up in Nohr, however, she had to deal with a lot of racism due to her hoshidan roots. As told by her mother, a hoshidan sorceress, her father was a nohrian hero and died in battle, leaving her alone with Tay and a younger son (a hero as well) when she was 2 and her brother 1.  
When poverty became too much for her mother to deal with, Tay and her argued once again and it ended with Tay leaving the house one night and trying to commit suicide in a close forest.  
However, she had been followed by Niles, who saved her when she jumped off a tree with a rope around her neck.  
Niles took care of her for the night but she escaped the next morning.  
They crossed paths again one day though, when she tried to steal from Niles' gang and got caught. Once again, he saved her by claiming that she was his girlfriend and would join them.  
Personality  
Coming off as cold, passive and repellant she has a hard time making people trust her. Though when you get to know her she is very easy to read, her intentions very clear, and she becomes very affectionate, goofy and playful.  
She used to practice magic and swordplay because of her father having been a hero.  
Even though she specialized in magic, she still practicees swordplay still, so her brother would have a partner for practice. Loves and practices the arts the most out of anyone in the army. Swears heavily and often. Her birthday is on February 25.  
Critical/Skill:  
'I won't live in fear!'  
'I won't surrender!'  
'Don't underestimate me!'  
'You can't hide from me!'

1  
The soft fabric nestled against her skin, an embrace she had longed for. The archer pulled the silk up to her chest and turned around herself in little circles, eyeing her figure from every angle, wishing nothing but to be someone worthy enough to wear these kinds of things daily.  
'Get going, Tay. Grab your stuff and move.' The man close to the door hissed in a hushed voice.  
'Aw, Shura. Why not give the girl some time to try on some clothes? I could help her.'  
She could feel her cheeks flush as her grip around the white silk tightened. The girl turned around, tossing the dress to the ground, in an attempt to force herself away from her day dreams. Day dreams? Deepest desires, that's what they were.  
'Shut up, niles.'  
The white haired man gave her a smug smirk as he raised an eyebrow and bent down to grab the dress.  
'Take it if you want it.' He says, irritating her as usually, as she couldn't see what he was hiding behind his words.  
'I don't need it. Let's leave; shura, did you get what you wanted?'  
The other man, with his hair so white only small streaks of black in them, pushed the door open, the wind coming from the outside caressing Tay's skin.  
'I already had it when you were still busy searching for a wedding dress-'  
His gaze wandered to his left, peeking through the door only to meet eyes with a Nohrian soldier.  
His breath slightly hitched, before he pushed himself against the wooden door and ran, his members following and pushing the youngest to the ground.  
Niles was quick to realize what was happening, unlike Tay.  
This kind of business was still new to her, even after three months. Every time she felt anxiety crawling under her skin as she tried to take from someone she wanted to belong to.  
Niles would scoff at her, remind her that these royals didn't care about people like them; the outcast, the rubbish of this sick society.  
She knew it, of course she did. And she despised them for it, for abusing their position like that, for ruling over their futures, these futures they didn't even care about.  
Nonetheless; the wish to be a part of them had always existed. But she knew that it was a waste of time so all she did to comfort herself was take their clothes, reassuring herself that that was enough comfort she needed, that it would still her needs for something else. Justice? Pride? Truth? Who knew.  
Niles got a hold of her hand, pulling her back onto her heels, as he ran to the back of the wooden building, kicking open the door to the rubbish containers.  
'Don't stop running.' He breathed, pulling her with a firm grip along.  
The soldiers stumbled into the building as the two outlaws stepped into the darkness of the slums. Jumping shadows, shrieks and red splashing against the walls made her turn her head back forward, her feet move faster.  
'Don't look back.' Niles whispered, maneuvering her through the streets and past people. The moon painted silver shadows on the pair as they lost breath after breath for their survival.  
'You there, stop on your tracks!'  
Tae felt the hair on her neck straighten, her head eager to turn around and meet the eyes of the owner of the husky, demanding voice.  
'Fuck!' Niles hissed as he caught a glimpse of their follower.  
In that situation, running and holding onto his friend, it was hard to aim with his bow and arrow.  
'Niles!' She hissed, pointing her head to her left, directing to an ally. Roughly pulling him along, he stumbled against the cold walls of the building.  
'What now, you fucking genius?' He asked, eyes searching for a way. The brunette placed a finger on her lips, then fiddled with her bow and an arrow, pulling both out of her bag.  
The man watched as she stood quietly behind a container and waited. A soldier came to a standstill close to them, eyes meeting with hers - but not for too long; the arrow hit right through his left eye, creating a disgusting smacking and splashing sound. The screams of the soldier died down, the deeper the arrow bored into his skull.  
Niles watched her, as she shot soldier after soldier; giving him time to let the realization from earlier sink in.  
His friends had left him.  
The people he secretly considered his family, the ones that kept him alive when everyone else wouldn't have bat an eyelash at his death.  
Maybe he didn't mean to them as much as they did to him.  
'- Niles, come on!' The man slowly blinked, his eyelids feeling heavy, as he caught a glimpse of Tae's face, trying to pull him along with both of her hands around his arm.  
She'd care if you'd be gone., he thought to himself.  
He got a grip of himself and smirked faintly, following his friends' steps towards another crowded street. Her grip tight, yet her fingers were trembling.  
Niles forced his gaze away from the back of her head, her ponytail falling out of its hair tie, the hat slipping further to the side. Pushing a few people out of the way, he scanned the area, spotting a fisher boat as they approached the port.  
He rushed forward, him leading the young woman, yelling against the wind: 'Tay, do you trust me?'  
'What- what are you...-?'  
He sprinted up to a building at the fort, taking two steps at a time, with Tae panting behind him. 'I like it when you make that sound.'  
The remark remained ignored as she groaned: 'we are on top of the building and they saw us, you fucking idiot! We are trapped!'  
Rougher than intended, he let go of her and almost tossed her to the ground, before she got a hold of herself; her palms flat on the ground as she did a flip and stumbled to her feet. Better than being slammed against the floor, she supposed, as she rubbed her hands.  
Before she could take another breath to complain, Niles fished his bow and arrow out, aiming at the soldiers on the streets.  
'Babe, how comes you always bore through their skulls with your arrows, yet I can only slash their faces open? Not that that's less pleasant but, well, it's less helpful.'  
'They are coming up the stairs!' She screamed, tugging in panic at his robe. 'We are trapped, what did you think, you rascal?!'  
Tossing his weapons to the side, he turned around, gripping her waist with his hand as the other cupped her chin. He was way too close.  
'Do you trust me?' He whispered, almost against her lips. The rage boiling within her made her slap him across his face, trying to break free from his grip.  
'We are about to die and you flirt with me?!' The steps of the soldiers grew louder, the fear in her system even made Tay think that the entire building was vibrating because of their huge steps.  
'Do you?' He asked again, inching closer, gripping her tighter and pushing her to the railing.  
Tears developed in her eyes as his actions confused her to no end.  
'Stop right there.' The same demanding voice from earlier hissed.  
Tay's gaze wandered to him, then to Niles who slowly loosened his grip around her. Fisting the material of his shirt she screamed: 'Fine, I trust you!'  
She shouldn't have though. Because he let go of her, making her fall from the building.  
So she'd die anyway. Maybe it was just bound to happen and the one person who held her back the first time was the one to kill her the last time. Life was fucking ridiculous.  
Her hair flailed around her face, as she tried to grasp something, anything, other than thin air. And then she saw him falling too.  
Her heart sunk as she watched the motionless figure coming closer to her.  
So they'd die together then.  
She had just escaped death with his help but now she was knocking at its door again, it would probably let her in again but this time, it would keep her in there.  
A scream escaped her lips as she was starting to collide with something firm. However, it wasn't as hard as stone - it was rope.  
Just before the body could hit her, she rolled to the side and clumsily tried to sit up. It bounced a little up as it hit the net, making Tay jump -  
'Boo.'  
There he was; rubbing his head, smirking at her as he tried to get up. The anger from earlier was nothing compared to the relief in that moment. 'Fuck you!' She yelled, making him throw a hand over her mouth.  
'Be quiet, they are going to find us.'  
The archer slowly let go of her and crawled out of the net, landing on his heels and dusting his shirt off. As if it was nothing. Well, to him it was just nothing.  
With an exaggerated movement he offered his friend a hand and helped her get off the net, pulling her to the cabins of the boat.  
'Don't say a word.' He mouthed, as he pressed her against the wall and hovered over her, in a protective manner she hoped.  
Lights of candles illuminated the boat, which lightly trembled under the weight of the soldiers.  
'Sire, they must have swam away.' They heard a voice say, the lights dancing in the reflection in the ocean.  
'No way.', the stern voice said. However stern and strict it sounded, it also seemed pretty youthful. 'Show yourselves.'  
His arms tightened around her form, his fingers lightly boring into her skin.  
'Please don't hurt her..' He mouthed, over and over again. Tay gazed at him, tears stuck to her eyelashes.  
The boat suddenly quaked underneath their feet, a majestic tree, leafs juicy green, appeared like an illusion underneath the hiding pair, making them cower in the middle of Prince Leo's Brynhylde curse.  
It felt like electricity tingling and hissing under her skin, as Tay felt herself falling, her back colliding with the ground, her eyes squeezed shut.  
The thick fluid trickling down from her temples made her flash her eyes open, frantically searching for Niles, then the source of the bleeding.  
She meet his eyes, before she got forcefully pulled up by her ponytail to gaze into hazel eyes, gleaming with lethargy  
'You're a girl.', the person in front of her said flatly. He leaned back, making her quietly sigh in relief as his face had been too close to hers for her taste. He could've observed too much from that distance; like the sheer panic in her eyes as she stared up at the Prince.  
'That is... New. And sad. You shouldn't be involved in this kind of business.'  
The young woman remained quiet, turning her head to the side to face niles, waiting for a smart remark of his - it never came. Instead she was confronted with a devastating picture; him being in the same kneeling position and his hands tied to his back, with the exception from many times before where they got caught, that his head was lowered to the ground, his chin no where near the clouds.  
'N-niles?' She breathed, barely audible.  
'Prince Leo.', he said, ignoring his friends whisper. 'I am in no position to make whishes but please, kill me here and now. But please, let her go.'  
It came crashing on her like the curse from earlier, deafening her for a moment, slowing every movement around her.  
For she had known Niles long enough to know that he would never consider death, nor beg for it, because they'd always get away alive.  
'What- No!'  
Tae interrupted, making Niles raise his head, making her see the tears on his cheek.  
'Why are you saying that?!'  
The prince watched in an oddly quiet manner, holding his soldiers back from fulfilling Niles wish now and there with the swift movement of his hand.  
The older one of the two hiccuped as he mumbled under his breath: 'they left us there. They left me there to die anyway. They didn't care wether or not id get killed, they just wanted to save themselves.'  
Her breath slightly hitched at the realization, her heart ached though, as she knew that these criminals had raised Niles from a young age. And yet they had thrown him away like he was nothing to them, like he never meant a thing to them.  
However, when she saw the prince approaching, she felt a lump in her throat, chocking her until the tears finally came streaming down too.  
'My lord, please don't hurt him. Please, please, have mercy on us for this one time.' She croaked, earning raised eyebrows and chuckles from the soldiers behind the tall prince.  
'Shut your fucking mouths!' She hissed, making few of them raise their swords but there was prince Leo again - holding them back with a movement of his hand.  
The blonde approached, kneeled down in front of her, dirtying his knees, only to observe her face.  
'What else should I do with you? I don't like thiefs.'  
'Just kill me already!' Niles cried out, making both Tay and the prince turn their heads.  
'No, be quiet, you don't know what you're saying! Please -'  
She turned her head to face the prince again, trying to get a grip and resist the temptation of bursting out in tears right on the spot.  
'Please don't hurt him.'  
'Fuck this, Tae! Let him do it, my only family left me to die here anyway.'  
'Am I not as important to you by now?!'  
At those words, the man hushed and gave her a puzzled look.  
'Please, prince Leo; don't hurt him. He doesn't deserve it, he just tries to survive, we just try to survive...',  
The pleading in her voice grew more and more desperate as the prince let the minutes pass to his desire.  
'Are you two related? Lovers?'  
Hoping for a smug small comment she turned to Niles, but he plainly gave the answer the prince demanded.  
'I picked her up on the streets and ever since we deal with each other. We are not linked.'  
'we are friends.' She added, her bottom lip trembling.  
'I don't want to die yet..' She whispered to no one in particular.  
At those words, the tension within Leo grew softer. He could sense generosity, sincerity from the young woman. And pure desperation from the man. They were perfect.  
'What are your names?' He asked, still studying the crying girls face. 'It's Tay and Niles.' She manages to choke out.  
'Tae and Niles. If you two swear to stop these criminal doings I will let you go.'  
The pair stirred up, confusion all over their faces.  
'But you will have to work for me. You will protect me. You will become my retainers.'

2  
When there was something Tae liked more than silky textures from beautiful dresses, it was kindness.  
She realized that once again as she sat in a room with a cushioned bed, a table, chairs and a mirror above another smaller table. The chandelier above her glistened in the faint shine of the lit candles on its golden arms  
'May I come in? It is prince Leo.' she heard from the door, furrowing her eyebrows.  
'Why are you asking me?'  
The door creaked open as the prince himself, clean, tidy and proud stepped into the room, approaching the dirty archer.  
'Well you are right but I tried to be polite.' He spoke with confidence, his choice of words as fine as his light eyelashes.  
'Why would you do that...' She asked, more herself than him.  
The young man shook his head, leaning against the table, folding his arms in front of his chest.  
'You should address me as Prince Leo or my lord.'  
Tae nodded her head, barely noticeable, as she kept her gaze lowered. Leo wasn't sure if she was mocking him, so he studied her, her entire presence radiating anxiety and confusion.  
'Tae ... it was, right? Yes. Do you know why you are here? Breathing, with all your limbs?' The archer shrugged lightly as she raised her head to look at the prince. Her features were more defined and sharper in the light of the candles, making him slightly raise his eyebrows.  
'You are here because I see potential in you. I think... I can trust you. You will keep me save and I will keep you save, okay?', she slowly nodded, mildly pleased by his words.  
' And...', she eyed him carefully, awaiting his words.  
'Where are you from?' He asked, sounding more eager than intended, making his cheeks flush.  
The woman stared at him, trying to read his face, to find his real motives. All she found was curiosity, similar to the kind of curiosity children have.  
'My mother was from a province in hoshido and my father was from nohr. Both lived at the boarders and then had me, me and.. A younger brother.', she paused, sheer fear arising in her, slightly irritating the prince.  
'You... will you hurt them?'  
Leo locked eyes with her, amazed by her entire existence. People like her - they weren't supposed to exist.  
He pushed himself off the table and walked up to his new retainer, carefully.  
'I will not. But do they not want to know where you are?'  
A pain stung her but she recovered quickly as she didn't feel the need to spill her entire life story to him, a stranger, after all.  
'No.'  
'No?'  
'You heard me.'  
The blonde prince grimaced a bit at her biting tone, but he understood where it came from.  
'Can I do anything for you to make you trust me, too?'  
She titled her head, questioning him. Then her eyes glistened for a second. She rocked back onto her heels as she came closer to the prince, fiddling with her fingers behind her back.  
'Can I hug you? For being merciful on my friend and me?'  
The hair on his neck straightened at her request and he tried to understand why that would make her trust him.  
'If you dare to touch me, the outcast, the lowlife, I will know that your words are sincere and you will know that my thanks to you is, too.'  
She raised her arms, expecting rejection. An eyebrow raised and a sly half smile slowly growing on her face but before that could happen he casually melted into the hug, though a short living hug.  
He did feel slightly provoked though, when he felt her tighten her grip all too much around his waist.  
As he let go he rolled his eyes at her small grin and waved it off, turning to the door to leave.  
'I am expecting only your best, Tae.' He stated, trying to maintain his dominant position.  
'So do I from you.' She grinned.  
And as he left, she laughed, quietly to herself. For he wasn't as arrogant and cruel as the other royals she had to deal with (more like stolen from) in the past and he didn't seem to see her as the rubbish of his kingdom. And did trust her, despite not knowing her at all.  
-  
'There's something about them that seems genuine to me.', Leo rambled on, as he took a sip of his tea and side eyed his brother prince Xander of nohr.  
'Especially the woman. She is easy to read. Her face is an open book.'  
'We all know how much you love reading, my dear baby brother.', His sister princess Camila of nohr added, as she filled another cup for their youngest sibling princess Elise of Nohr.  
'But that doesn't mean that everything you read is always true or right.'  
Leo paused, lowered his cup and looked at her.  
'Do you not trust my abilities, sister?'  
Camilla smiled as softly as she shook her head. 'It is not that, my dear. It's just that they might be really good liars and that the female... Had sparked a certain interest in you.'  
Elise choked on her tea as a laughter tried to escape her throat. Leo's cheeks flushed as he angrily but calmly placed the cup on the table.  
'Why would you think that? I am only curious of her roots as mixed children aren't really a common thing in our world.'  
Xander nodded in agreement, but added: 'She seems to be in your age. And if her looks are already so intriguing to you... She might want to marry into royalty.'  
'What the hell are you even talking about? I don't even feel any attraction towards her.'  
'Not yet.', Camilla implied. 'You should not trust them. They are murderes, thiefs. What makes you think they wouldn't cut your throat in your sleep.'  
'My dear sister, I saw their potential and I saw how pure their love for one another was. If any of them would misbehave I could easily scare them by threatening to kill their friend. And besides that; I can trust my own intuition very well.'  
3  
'Miss Tae ?',  
The archer had been up since about sunrise, mainly because she kept hearing steps from the corridors on the cold hard stone of the castle. Yet she groaned as she had almost nodded off again and was now forced to open her eyes again.  
'It is Jakob, I am a butler. Lord Leo asked me to wake you up. May I come in?'  
Sunbeams slowly crept inside her room as Jakob entered the room without her permission and closed it with the arm behind his back and the other gripping a piece of clothing as he smiled.  
'Good morning.' He forced out of his mouth, walking up to the Windows to draw the curtains, making Tae squirm under the bedsheets and sit up, a hand shielding her from the sunlight.  
Again, he smiled at her, weirdly widely, taking a few steps closer to her bed.  
'These are for you from prince Leo. Breakfast is ready and he expects you at the garden behind the castle later on. We have a tight schedule to follow so please hurry.'  
The way he rushed her made her suspicious and her thoughts were confirmed when she set a toe on the ground and reached with a free hand for the clothes.  
Jakob withdrew his arm slightly, as if warning a little child to not take something away from him. He raised the index finger of his free hand, too, and spoke lowly: 'Don't even think of hurting prince Leo and any of his relatives. I don't know why he picked you and that other outcast up from the streets, but I do know that lady Camilla wants me to watch you and I will do exactly that.'  
Tae furrowed her eyebrows as the brown of her irises glistened with tears of anger. How dare this person? How dare he? He didn't even know her the slightest bit, yet he only expected the worst from her.  
She ripped the clothes out of his hands, catching him off guard and making him grimace.  
'Tch.'  
'Just get out already!'  
-  
It was a light pink dress, plain but cut in a way that it revealed her collarbones and shoulders. The sleeves reached to her elbows, from there on they got wider and and loosely hung over her wrists, sliding up and down her underarms depending on how she moved. The little embroidery on them intrigued her and she run her fingers over them ever so slowly as she stepped carefully step after step down to the dinning room, walking pass the kitchen and other strange rooms. There were just too many of them in the castle, she couldn't really imagine what all of those were hiding behind the doors.  
The huge doors caught her off guard, stunning her with its golden details that were wriggling up almost to the high ceiling.  
She approached it and knocked carefully a few times, before, Jakob opened the doors. Quietly stalking her way pass him, she lowered her gaze and avoided any eye contact, yet searching through her long fringe for Niles or at least Prince Leo for she needed a little guidance.  
'Hey there! You can sit with your friend!' The bright voice rang in her bones as she felt urged to raise her head and find the source of it.  
A delicate girl with two blonde pigtails, who she recognize to be princess Elise, grinned at her, a genuine and warm smile, pointing her finger to one end of the table where Leo and Niles were seated, the spot between them empty.  
Meant for me.  
She smiled softly back in gratitude, nodding her head and rushing to her friend.  
'Family, I would like to introduce you to my new handpicked retainers.', Leo spoke, his voice raspy and low as he side eyed Niles to his left. 'This man is Niles and the woman next to him is Tay. I trust in their abilities.'  
Tae shifted uncomfortably on her seat as she dared to glance at the people who were staring at her, with eyes full of caution and suspicion. One pair of them being the ones of King Garon, seated on the other end of the table.  
His glance alone froze the blood in her veins, so she let her gaze jump from one royal to another.  
'Please stand up.' Jakob suddenly positioned himself behind Niles and Tay, making her immediately stand up as Niles casually heaved himself off his seat, giving her a sly smirk for the first time since they were separated.  
'Do you, Niles and Tae, swear to protect prince Leo with your lives, to never harm him or let any to him happen and be loyal until you have breathed your last?'  
Tae titled her head to the side and nodded seemingly determined. However, she felt sheer humiliation as this jerk made her swear loyalty to a prince who had picked her up from the streets like a lost dog. It's wasn't like she had a choice anyway for they'd kill her before she could escape.  
She managed to keep her annoyance behind her teeth and said firmly: 'I swear.'  
Niles repeated after her, much more casual and relaxed, allowing the both of them to sit down once again.  
The female quietly shoved her meal into her mouth, trying to ignore everything around her. After the breakfast, the royal family separated to fulfill their trainings, duties or missions, but not before giving the two outlaws biting glares. Except for Elise of course.  
'Follow me.'  
Leo demanded, as he folded his arms behind his lower back and guided the newbies through the corridors, down to the garden.  
'Hey.'  
Niles whispered beside her, making her give him a confused look over her shoulder.  
'Missed me?'  
To both their surprise she nodded and walked briskly behind Leo. They stepped out of the opened doors into a nightmare of dead trees and grass. The entire so called garden was scattered with targets, not only for archery but also for magic, Tay noticed, as she saw the burned wood of some targets in the far far back. Only prince Leo could aim like that.  
The entire place looked like a battlefield, with some broken arrows here and there and the dead plants.  
'Every day you will have to practice archery from 6am to 11am. I have practice too around that time and we will reunite around 11:30am for lunch, then afterwards I will be fulfilling my duties and such and you will stay with me at all times.'  
-  
At all times, he had said.  
Niles and Tae didn't leave his side for a second, because if there was one thing they had learned, it was that prince Leo was not, definitely not, the seemingly just as cruel son of his father, Prince Garon.  
Leo was an awfully intellectual person, capable of rambling on about things that interested him for solid two hours or so. In the mornings, he was too tired still, to give his full attention to his clothing so sometimes he put them on the wrong way.  
And Tay had, over and over again, seen his kindness in small gestures towards Elise, Xander, Camilla, Niles - and her.  
'Tae.' He called out one day, waving her over to the table, away from the targets.  
She hesitated, but approached and watched him, as he placed a book in front of her.  
'Niles said you can read.'  
She nodded quickly, folding her hands in her lap.  
'Did you go to school?'  
'I did not, sire.'  
'Where did you learn it then?'  
An image of a small white room appeared in her head, an elder lady sitting next to her and explaining to her that the letter g appears in great, in grey, in gold, in generous...  
'Or I think I was in school for a really short time.' She rambled, staring at her hands.  
Leo leaned back on his chair, surprised. How could she have possibly paid for education?  
'That... is irritating. Anywho', he leaned back in and placed a finger on a page of the book.  
'I want to study with you.'  
'Why with me?'  
Leo paused, asking himself the same question.  
'I... Saw the way you stared at my books, whenever you had to come to my chambers. Are you interested in learning?'  
Hesitating, she shuffled in her seat.  
'I am not really interested in war strategies but in-'  
'Poetry? Fiction? History? I know. That's why I brought the books you always pick up when we are staying in my room.'  
-  
Tae stayed until late night in his chambers and sat quietly on the ground reading. Leo did the same, on his bed though, and watched her facial expressions throughout.  
He loved reading, and she was just so easy to read. He appreciated it, in some way. Not that it was helpful in war, but it was the kind of honesty that many people had thrown away because of it. And it was nice not having to figure her out like a riddle. The silence engulfing the room was comfortable and warm.  
She smiled faintly in the light of the candle beside her, making him grin, too.  
It was good that he had picked Niles and her up.  
-  
'How could your parents have met? I mean there's borders and all that.',  
Tae shrugged half heartedly and was about to move her chess figure, glancing up at Leo. He just smiled in amusement.  
'Go ahead.'  
So she did, and lost to him after only ten more rounds.  
'I don't like this game at all.' She sighed in defeat, as Leo brought it back to a cupboard.  
'Then tell me what you like.'  
She raised her head, a smile growing on her lips.  
'Are you sure?'  
'Will I regret this?'  
'Of course not.'  
Leo found himself watching her do her things on a Sunday. After the training she sat down under a tree and forced him with her. He groggily agreed and watched her pulling a sketchbook out of her bag. 'What are you going to draw?' He asked, slightly smiling.  
'I was going to say nature but everything here is dead.'  
'So what now?'  
'I can show you what I've already made.'  
Tae opened up the book and Leo's lips parted. The pages were covered in colors, shapes and people, every page proof of her improvement throughout time.  
Leo grabbed the book and studied closely a drawing of a father with his son.  
'These are very pretty.'  
Tae watched in delight how he fancied one drawing more than the other.  
'You design clothing?'  
'Yes.'  
'Did you ever think of actually sewing one of those?' He placed a finger on a sketch of a mint green dress, making her nod her head.  
'Of course. But I don't have the materials, nor the money to buy them or the abilities to sew them.'  
-  
Tae couldn't really think of a reason as to why this talented magician needed any protection as she watched him from afar, shooting his curses at targets, as the sun hung high but behind a few dark clouds. It's been about a few months since prince Leo had recruited the pair.  
She couldn't help but glance in his direction while she was actually supposed to aim for her own target, and jumped a bit, when the prince turned around and met her gaze. The arrow flew above the target and hit the dry black bark of a dead tree behind it.  
'What are you doing?' He asked, walking up to her.  
Tae shook her trance off and smiled sweetly.  
'Just slacking a bit today. Happens sometimes.'  
'It shouldn't happen to you.'  
'But mistakes happen sometimes, my prince.'  
He furrowed his eyebrows and studied her, as she went off to grab the arrow.  
'Oh, and... Would you mind coming to my chambers after dinner?', She said casually, as she walked by, faintly blushing.  
'I... Want to show you something.'

4  
Leo knocked on the door, her pleased voice allowing him to enter.  
He smiled at the dress on the mannequin figure, then laughed at her, who was spreading her arms, meaning to draw all the attention to the cloth.  
'You did it! What a nice surprise.'  
'Took me forever to learn this but yes! I did it! Do you think Elise will like it?'  
Nodding, the prince approached and came to a standstill next to Tay. He kneeled down to run a hand over the fabric, but had to look up at her excited figure.  
'Isn't it so beautiful?'  
Leo stood up again and side eyed her.  
'Yes.', he mumbled, feeling something bubbling inside of him.  
'Yes, it is.'  
'Prince Leo!'  
A soldier came running through the door, panting, as he reached the prince and Tay, who turned around in a little shock.  
Leo nodded his head, allowing the soldier to speak.  
'Prince Kamui has been kidnapped by hoshidans.'  
Leo's lips slightly parted, as Tae shot him a surprised look. The worry on his face was incredibly intense, more than any emotion she had ever seen on it.  
'Prince Xander is already gathering soldiers to get prince Kamui back. He expects you and your retainers at the walls around castle krakenburg.'  
Leo seemed to have heard him, judging by his slight nod, even though he seemed completely lost.  
His eyes told Tae that he was worried sick for his brother; they were widely opened, staring at the soldier who he dismissed with a small movement of his hand.  
It was intimidating, seeing the prince in this state. The female couldn't really figure out if the anger or fear made Leo become this unmoving statue.  
But still, she was his retainer. And she had been trying for a while now to become his friend, too.  
'Come on, my lord.', she approached him, got ahold of his arm and gave him a few light pats. The gesture irritated him, but he couldn't care less as his brother was in danger.  
'Everything will be okay.'  
Leo lowered his head to meet her gaze.  
For this one time, he really needed her not only as a retainer, but as a friend, too.  
-  
As the nohrian royals got on the way to free Kamui, they had given their retainers different missions and duties to keep the kingdom in tact as they are gone.  
Niles rode the horse as Tae held tightly onto his waist, burying her forehead in his back.  
'I am really... Scared.' Tae admitted as she fisted the material of Niles' shirt tighter, making him grin smugly.  
'This is nothing to be afraid of. You should be afraid of what you make me want to do to you when you're so close, holding onto me like that, pressing your body against mine -'  
Heat out of embarrassment was rising to her cheeks, making her slap the back of his head. Good thing he couldn't see her like that.  
'Oh~ You're into that kind of stuff?'  
'I don't know why you're still flirting with me, even after you've realized that it won't ever work on me.'  
He paused, then replied in a disgustingly sugar coated voice: 'Aww, why not? Am I not handsome enough? Or is it because I'm not a royal like our dear prince Leo?'  
The wind slapped against her skin, as the horse became faster, the lights of the village inching closer and closer to them.  
The pair fell silent at the sight of smoke rising to the night sky, coming from the nohrian buildings close to the borders.  
'Niles...', she finally spoke, the village near.  
'I don't know if you're joking.'  
'Oh, I'm not. I am aware of my appearance so I know the answer.'  
Furrowing her eyebrows, she loosened her grip around him, making him immediately press her hands back around his waist. The gesture irritated her, giving her the idea that maybe...  
'Are you jealous?'  
Niles got off the horse, allowing Tae to stay more mobile as he felt like she was likely to flee - and he wouldn't mind that at all. War was a horrible thing and too many people had been devoured by it already. He didn't want her to be one of them.  
Turning to her one last time, he replied: 'So you admit that you like him?'  
The smug smile playing on his lips made her roll her eyes, before she rode off to the center of the village.  
Metal clashed against curses, arrows, lances. Tay tried her hardest to aim through all the blood and corpses clouding her sight.  
'Niles, we have to evacuate the civilians -'  
She heard the familiar thud before metal bored through flesh, and it sent her horse to the ground. Adrenalin pumped through her system, raging in her veins. Her back collided with the muddy ground, hammering a horrible pain into her body.  
Rebels began to notice her and came running at her direction, her legs weak in fear. Searching for her bow she stumbled aimlessly pass fighting people, spotting the tip of her bow under the horse that had thrown her off, making her tremble in fear.  
'Oh God, oh God, oh God.' She mumbled fearfully as more outlaws noticed her.  
She threw her head hectically to every direction, searching for Niles when she spotted a glistening sword in the dirt a few feet away from her.  
Running, she tried to be as invisible as possible. However, she had been noticed by so many rebels, that she had to knock some of them out with her bare fists, shooting an almost electrifying pain through her knuckles up to her wrists, or had to ram the arrows through their necks.  
Another figure was about to grab the sword, so she approached him from behind and kicked him on the inside of his knee. Grabbing a hold of his head, she twisted his neck until his empty eyes doomed her with the gaze of death.  
What beautiful eyes he had. Blue like the ocean, glistening in the moonlight.  
The body collapsed in front of her, she didn't care if it had been a rebel or a nohrian - she needed the sword otherwise she'd die right there.  
It easily slid out of the mud and sat perfectly fine in her grasp. Ready to kill the coming enemies, she held the sword high - but every last one of them came to a standstill at her sight.  
'We have to r-retreat. She... killed the prince.'  
Furrowing her eyebrows she quickly turned around to study the corpse, then turned back to her enemies, some got slashed open by nohrian soldiers in their moment of being inattentive.  
The few who got away ran off, as the nohrian soldiers kept fighting the rebels.  
'Tae , what happened - ',  
Niles came running up to her trembling figure, helplessly watching her follow the Victorian soldiers with her gaze.  
'What -'  
'There!'  
A sword was swung, close to Tay's chest, but couldn't hit her as Niles held it back - with his bare hands.  
Realizing what was happening, she crawled to the side and ducked, as the soldier tried to slice her head open.  
Niles grabbed one of his arrows and bored it through the soldiers wrist, making him let go of the sword.  
Tae could stealth her way behind the soldier, who suddenly knocked Niles out, his fists deforming his face. Crying in panic, she took the sword from earlier once again and stabbed the soldier, then shoved him off Niles motionless figure.  
-  
When Niles awoke, he lay in a cushioned bed. Not his own though, this one was pink.  
He blinked, as he tried to figure out where he was, realizing that his head, unlike his body, did not lie on cushion - but in someone's lap.  
'Oh God, you're up.' He felt a pair of arms wrap around his head as a cheek was pressed against his forehead.  
When he realized that it was Tae though, he sat up, leaving him dizzy. Holding onto his head he groaned: 'What? Why are you-? Wait, did we-'  
The smirk on his face made her regret her outburst of affection, and made her instead hiss: 'you were badly hurt, you stupid fuck. I was really worried.'  
Niles raised his eyebrows in surprise, leaning back.  
'Is that so?'  
Her look though, it didn't allow any mockery, so he shut his mouth. The only time he had seen her like that was when he had met her - and that look didn't mean any good.  
'Prince Leo is still not back and then this happened. I was helping Elise and watching you.', Niles sat up once again, facing her, the proximity didn't seem to bother her like usually.  
'It has been about three days -'  
Niles broke her off by leaning in, making her expect the most horrible things. His lips weren't far from brushing hers, his breath beginning to mix with hers.  
However, he backed off as soon as he realized what he was about to do - and frowned.  
'That was... Weird. As usually.' She stated, slightly crawling to the side with cheeks tinted red, punching him lightly in the chest.  
However, when he grabbed it with a hand and the bedsheets with the other, he began to wince in pain, making Tay crawl right back to him and got a hold of his cheeks with her flat palms.  
'Oh no, I'm so sorry! Please, oh God! I'm sorry, dear!'  
His laughter filled the entire room as he let go and got ahold of her chin instead, patting her cheek with the other bandaged hand.  
'You are so cute when you care for me.'  
'You stupid fucking-', she swatted his hands off her face, lowered her gaze, avoiding any eye contact with him.  
'Then I must be really beautiful all the fucking time.'  
Niles paused, blinking. In a surprisingly soft manner she got a hold of his hands and lowered them, keeping hers in his as she faced him and spoke.  
'Look. I am always pretty repellent towards you but I want you to know... That i treasure you for what you've done for me in the past, not only for that one incident. You're dear to me... To be honest... And I want to pay back to you. For helping me all the time.'  
The male didn't bat an eyelash, then stared at their locked fingers in her lap.  
'You... Already have.'  
He met her gaze and smiled. 'Remember when my lord recruited us? You didn't want him to hurt me. You've saved me too.'  
'But you, you have actually saved me when the rope-'  
His arms wrapped around her figure, making her fall to her back and him hover above her.  
'What the hell-?! Get off me!'  
Once again, his mocking laughter rang as he removed himself from her and grinned.  
'Thank you.'  
The shock at his affection vanished quickly as she softly smiled at him, making him shake his head though.  
'No, I mean because I could feel your boob-'  
'For fucks sake, get out!'

5  
The Royal siblings arrived in the early morning, exhaustion all over their features as prince Xander called for Leo's retainers.  
Niles and Tae quietly walked into the chambers of the prince, the latter impressed by the sheer amount of books scattered and towered in the entire room.  
At the sight of the prince though, she couldn't help but crack a smile and rush over to him.  
'My dear prince, I am so happy that you're back save and sound.' She smiled, but Xander rose his hand and held his palm flat in front of her face.  
'Yes. I am pleased to see you, too, Tae . But I'm tired. Just, sit down and listen.'  
She did as she was told and took a seat at the table, as the prince rubbed his temples.  
'We successfully ended the rebellion at the borders, my lord. Is prince Leo well?' Tae smiled faintly at the elder prince, as she could sense that something was off.  
Leo...  
'Leo is well. Kamui though... He decided to leave both nohr and hoshido.',  
Prince Kamui of nohr. The silver haired noble was very much loved by his siblings as Tae could hear them talk about him a lot during meals.  
He was living, for some reason, in another castle, but his siblings visited him frequently. It must have been wonderful to be loved by their own family.  
Even though she had never met the prince before, she was a little jealous of him.  
Xander took a deep breath, as the relief on Tae's face made the following things harder for him to say.  
'The other problem is that Victor, which is actually neutral, declared war on nohr for some reason the other day.',  
'She killed the prince.'  
Tae gulped at the voice ringing in the back of her head and gnawed on her lower lip in thought.  
The prince nor Niles noticed and Xander kept explaining:  
'Right now, we are at war with hoshido and Victor. It is clear why with hoshido, but Victor... They say they want...', he locked eyes with Tay for the first time ever since he came back. And it didn't please her like usually.  
'I don't know what you've done but... They want you, otherwise they won't stop attacking us. And with our current problem, Kamui having betrayed his homeland, we can't have another burden. I am sorry, but... We have to find him and don't need another war to fight besides the one with hoshido. So,' he got up from his chair, towering over Tay.  
'I will arrest you and take you to Victor.'  
Everything went numb in her body. The lump in her throat devoured her words, the world was black once again. Her face darkened, eyebrows furrowed and hands formed to fists under the table.  
'Prince Xander, please-'  
Niles pleaded, standing up from his seat as well.  
Before Xander could grab her, she jumped up, lifted her chair and aimed for the mans head. Of course she missed, it was prince Xander after all, but she won herself some time to climb out of the window closest to her, landing in the garden and running towards the forest of dead trees behind the walls.  
'Let me go!' She screamed, as soldiers came from every side and grabbed her, taking her weapons away from her.  
They had to carry her for a while, for she was restraining and refused to walk into her death.  
How was she supposed to know that the man was the prince of Victor? He looked like every other soldier of theirs.  
It was a bad decision to just take a weapon from someone random, as Victor tried to restrain the Rebels as well. But what else should she have done in that situation? Her brain wasn't leading her but the sheer fear in her system.  
Leo awoke from the screams echoing through the corridors, running a hand through his hair. Then he remembered.  
He pulled a shirt over his head and rushed to the door, following the sound of her screams.  
Xander watched as Niles was grabbed as well for trying to reach for Tay, he watched as she grew more and more tired of restraining, lowering her gaze to the ground, now and then, panting for air.  
'Brother, I said to wait!' Leo hissed at Xander through gritted teeth. At the sound of his voice her head shot up, rage and hurt taking over her all over again.  
'You fucking liar! You said your words were sincere!' She screamed as the soldiers dragged her to the jail.  
The tears streaming down her cheeks sent an unpleasant shiver down his spine and Leo moved his gaze to the side, meeting Niles glance.  
'Why would you do that?', He asked, barely audible, breaking free from the soldiers grip.  
'So this is what we are to you? Would you sacrifice me too if it could save one of your royal asses?!'  
Leo remained expressionless and folded his hands behind his back.  
'Change your tone.'  
'Change my tone? Change my tone?!' Niles yelled, inching closer and making Xander grab him. Niles shoved him off and raised his fist, giving the younger prince a black eye.  
Xander called for his brother and supported him, an arm around his shoulders. He raised his head to glare at Niles and said in a low voice: 'Arrest him.'  
-  
Ever since he had to experience so much of it, he loved seeing other people in pain. Their suffering was the cherry on top for every time he successfully had stolen from someone or physically hurt.  
The stars shone brightly that night, as the outlaw strolled through the night market of nohr, his hands quick and invisible, taking from people walking by.  
Spotting a young woman coming right in his direction, he grinned smugly and prepared for an 'accidental collide'.  
Bumping into her shoulder, he let his hand dive into her bag, the feeling of rope on his fingertips for a split second, before she swirled around and glared at him.  
'I'm sorry, beautiful.', throwing his hands in the air, then pointing at the eyepatch, he smirked.  
'Kinda half blind.'  
The woman remained unimpressed and kept rushing off, shoving people to the side.  
Niles could sense thieves from a distance, their mere behavior, no, their mere glance was enough for him to determine whether or not they were involved in some wicked things. And this one was definitely involved in something very wicked.  
Swiftly walking around an elder woman with a basket filled with apples, he grabbed one then disappeared in the crowd, following the woman out of town.  
Civilization wasn't really in sight anymore when she finally stopped in the forest, sinking to the ground. Niles quickly hid behind a tree, after taking a bite from his apple, glancing pass it with his good eye.  
For a while there was nothing; merely the image of her cowering on the ground, doing God knew what.  
But after a while, the silver haired man realized that she was fingering with the rope from her bag, the one he must have felt earlier.  
His eyebrows furrowed as he watched her climbing up a tree, wrapping the rope tightly around a thick branch and placing the other end around her neck.  
Niles had always thought that every quench of goodness had been gone ever since his parents had left him to die in the dirt of the nohrian slums.  
But a tiny bit, it sparked something within him, making him throw his half way eaten apple against the tree.  
The woman flinched, fearfully searching for the one who had thrown it.  
'Miss?', she heard the man from earlier say, appearing from behind a tree.  
'I ask you not to do that. The sight would be interesting but I don't want a woman like you to die like this.'  
Ever so slowly, tears began to develop in her eyes and roll down her cheeks, her entire body shaking.  
Niles took a few steps closer, holding up his hands.  
'I won't harm you. Please don't harm yourself as well.'  
The sheer depression on her face was supposed to be simply delicious, but somehow, the sight made him feel sick.  
As Niles took another step, she yelled: 'don't come any closer!'  
'Okay I won't. But please come down here.'  
She shook her head, pulling with both her hands at her hair.  
'No, no, no. Just go home to your family or something! Just fuck off!'  
At the word family, Niles felt confident enough to make a slightly mocking remark: 'I would if I had one.'  
Compassion, raw compassion appeared in her eyes, and as Niles smiled softly and thought he had finally talked her out of this - she jumped.  
He swore to this day that he had never reacted faster before and probably never will again in the future. Before the rope could break her neck, he pulled his bow and arrows from his bag on his back and shot through the string.  
Screams escaped the woman's lips as she collided with the ground, making Niles throw his weapon to the side and run up to her.  
Whimpering in pain (he supposed both physical and mental), he tried to get a hold of her, when she burst out in tears, gripping his robe and pulling him to the ground with her.  
'Why did you do that?!', she sobbed, shaking him by the shoulders then pushing him to the ground on his back.  
'I wanted it to stop! Why did you hold me back?!'  
For the next hour, he watched as the stranger screamed, cried and went crazy - not finding any pleasure in it at all. He slowly stood up and extended his hand.  
'I will take you home, tell me where you live-'  
'I don't have a home!' She screamed, bursting out in a new flood of tears.  
At those words, he knew exactly what to do with her.  
-  
Taking her to his place was quite the act as she didn't want to stop crying and sobbing. Niles then decided to leave it and carried her into a hunting lodge, somewhere at the borders from the forest to the city. Walking to his place would have taken forever and too much explanation to Shura and the rest.  
Her sobs died down, fatigue replacing her sadness for the moment, as Niles watched her from a save distance. She cowered on the cushioned sofa as Niles sat on the carpet on the ground.  
Her suffering wasn't pleasant at all, simply because it hit home too much.  
At some point, the house was filled with silence. The outlaw decided to approach her once again.  
'What's your name?'  
The woman's head stirred up, searching his eyes. The sight of her savior intimidated her a little.  
'Tae .' She forced out.  
Niles nodded, trying to get a glimpse of her face from behind her fringe.  
'What happened?'  
'It doesn't matter.'  
'Are you going to try it again?'  
'Why do you give a shit?'  
He gulped and raised his eyebrows at her bluntness.  
'I just understand what you're going through.'  
Skeptically, she eyed him up and down, as she slowly sat up and pursed her lips.  
'What do you know?'  
Even though he didn't feel any excitement at her desperate moment in the forest, he was absolutely loving all her reactions to his disgusting life story.  
What excited him a little as well was, that she didn't seem to judge him all too much based on his past behavior.  
'You tried to survive.' She spoke quietly.  
Niles nodded, shrugging.  
'You should try to as well.' He answered.  
For a moment, she just stared at him in thought. And then, she fell asleep, her face illuminated by the moonlight from outside.  
Niles crawled a little closer to her, lying down on the carpet and watching her sleeping face. She was just... someone meant to stay.  
-  
Niles watched her through the metal bars as her sobs died down, as sleep was about to take her.  
Her fate was clear; the queen of Victor would execute her for murdering her son. She was aware of that and so was he, making him feel sick to the stomach.  
He wasn't sure if he could save her again this time. He didn't know how long he'd have to stay here, if Leo would forgive him or execute him, too. To be honest, he didn't think that the prince would do the latter but well, he also didn't think that he'd agree to such a deal so easily.  
Life was such a pain. And the only silver lining in his life was going to get killed for trying to survive.  
'Tae .' he called out into the dark emptiness of the basement. The woman didn't react nor answer, as Niles realized she was softly snoring.  
He laughed a little to himself, sadness washing over him as he didn't want to miss those snores, her laughter, her biting tone - he didn't want to miss any of that, he didn't want to have to miss her.  
So he told her. But she was fast asleep and he was too coward to repeat it the next morning, when soldiers dragged her up to the sunlight, into a carriage that would take her to her end.  
Gone once again., he thought to himself.  
But she... was meant to stay.

6  
His father had always tried to raise him with the mentality that 'he shouldn't have a conscience' as having one would hold him back when he would have to make decisions and just make his life in general much harder.  
But Leo wasn't his father, or Xander. He was himself, and he himself felt incredibly horrible for the deal he had agreed on with Victor.  
He was meant to tell her. But he wasn't just going to tell her that she'd have to leave; he wanted to figure out how to deal with Victor after whatever happened between Tay and the said kingdom.  
For he didn't want to break his promise and didn't want to get her broken by the hands of another crazy ruler.  
The queen of Victor was know for taking and taking from her own kingdom. Money and diamonds were her life and she needed to have it all, having to outshine the other kingdoms.  
She had often tried in the past to take over nohr, hoshido and other nearby kingdoms but usually lost as she didn't seem to have a reliable tactician to her side.  
Victor had been quiet for a while, it wasn't exactly peaceful with all the rebellions that happened sometimes at the borders - but that was better than actual war.  
The prince excused himself from the dinner table, saying he'd want to go to bed, but sneaked to the basement.  
Niles awoke from his nap because of Leo's steps echoing through the corridors, making the rage from the day before rise up again.  
'What do you want?' He hissed, not bothering to open his eyes or get up from his bunk.  
The prince came to a standstill behind the metal bars, his face illuminated by the lit candle in his hand.  
'What happened when you tried to stop the rebellion?' He asked quietly, causing Niles to jolt up and scratch his stomach, his eye still closed.  
'Why didn't you ask her before you delivered her to Victor? Dunno, just an idea, my prince.'  
The royal man was used to his retainers behavior and tone, yet he couldn't deal with the bitterness in his words in that moment.  
Sighing, he let his other hand dive to his pockets and fished the keys for the jail out.  
The outlaw opened his eyes at the sound of the jiggling keys, rushing to the bars and grabbing a hold of them.  
'You stupid fuck. I should have never trusted you.', Leo remained lethargic, though slight annoyance was bubbling under the surface, as he stared at Niles in the light of the candle.  
'Apparently she killed their prince when we tried to end the rebellion. I don't know if that's true, because I don't know why he'd be there in the first place. But let me tell you something.',  
He grabbed Leo by his collar through the bars, making the prince furrow his eyebrows.  
'When I'm out here, I will save her. I love the fact that you're suffering so badly under your guilt because you should. And I want you to suffer even more for seeing her being happy with someone who cares about her, that someone being me, not you.'  
He let go, Leo stumbled a little backwards, as Niles grinned. The last remark left the prince slightly irritated - but he could sense what Niles meant. And it made him want to punch his teeth out of his dirty mouth.  
'I saw the way you were looking at her, your highness. Now let me go. I won't kill you or your family or anything because that won't take Tay back. So, open up!'  
-  
As soon as the fresh air hit him, he felt content again. His decision to become Leo's retainer felt like a good one at first but turned out to be a horrible mistake.  
After Leo had dismissed him, he had given him the sword that Tay had picked up on the battlefield, too. He didn't explain anything, nor did Niles care. He just wanted it to get back to Tay, whatever it took.  
In the closest city, he got himself a few other things and a carriage, fleeing from the police once again and - once again - outsmarting them.  
The way to Victor was unknown to him, but he'd survive this somehow just like everything else before until he'd get there.  
-  
Tay's mouth felt dry, her voice was hoarse as she cursed at the Victorian soldiers for dragging her to victors queen.  
Civilians doomed her with judging, biting glares, whispering behind her back. It wasn't only the fact that she was considered a criminal, it was also her appearance that irritated the people.  
The sky was painted in red colored streaks, creating the last sunrise Tay would ever see.  
Death was a strange thing. Tae and death; they were in an abusive relationship where she knew that it would only harm her, not changing her situation to the better at all, yet she clung to it.  
And now, as she broke free from it with Niles' help and a perspective given by lord Leo, it came back to haunt her.  
'Hey, you stupid fucks.', she barked, earning a slap in the face, as the soldiers reached the overwhelming castle to the queen. A blood stain ran down her bottom lip and chin, not holding her back from talking.  
She certainly did not give a fuck if the people thought of her as primitive or any of that because she'd die - who was there left to impress?  
'I didn't even know that it was your prince, I didn't plan that shit.'  
'Shut the fuck up.' The soldier to her right said in annoyance, as she had been cursing at them since she caught sight of the Victorian walls from the carriage.  
The doors were opened by more soldiers, as the anxiety within her came rising up again, making her restrain and scream, her screams for help echoed back to her in the huge corridors.  
So she was the only one to save herself, huh?  
The white walls were plastered with paintings of different sizes and usually she would have taken the time to approach and appreciate them, but all she could see was the same ugly face she'd see in person after few more steps.  
After three more pairs of doors, the final last one was opened, revealing something that made Tay momentarily forget her situation.  
The green and gold theme in the throne hall gave it an even more creepy atmosphere, as the different paintings on the walls and the weird golden statues were already giving it. What a weird kind of art they had in this country.  
Two smaller chandeliers framed a big one in the middle of the hall, diving the entire place in dancing shadows and lights.  
In the middle of it all sat the queen; her hair a deep black and partly tied up, pearls decorating her curls. Her face was covered in heavy makeup, making her wrinkles more visible in the light of the two flames on each side of the throne.  
Busy eating some grapes, she didn't acknowledge the intruders first, her pearl necklaces and gold chains hanging heavily from her thin neck. The dress she wore was big and wide, scattered with more pearls and some shiny, green stones. The glittery shoes underneath it peeked out as she had placed her legs crossed on the left side of the throne.  
'Queen Nathaniel. Nohr delivered, as promised, the criminal who had killed prince Matthew.'  
Nathaniel. An overly fancy name for the overly fancy woman who annoyingly slowly opened her eyes, throwing the rest of her grapes into the flames. She swung her legs to the ground, griping some of the material of her dress and tripled down the stairs, her lean hips swaying from side to side. The biting blue of her eyes was so different from the blue of her son.  
He was the warm ocean in summer, as she was ice.  
Forcing Tay onto her knees, the queen smirked and commanded the soldiers to let go of her 'guest'.  
'Look at me.' She demanded in a surprisingly hearty voice. Tay didn't move an inch and kept staring to the side. She could feel thin long fingers creeping up her face as her head was forcefully moved to face the queen, who inched closer and closer.  
'You don't even look like him.' She spat bitterly, slapping Tay's face to the side as she let go.  
The sound of her heels echoed in the hall as she circled the archer, like a hyena around its prey.  
'I will never forgive you for what you have done to Matthew. And I will execute you, you know that, right?'  
Her hearty laughter followed, sounding as if she was merely laughing at a good joke.  
Tae could feel that her father had fallen in love with a mask, a role. And she had probably revealed her true self soon after they had married.  
Nathaniel could pretend almost as well as Tay could.  
'I will erase you and nohr for this.'  
At the mention of nohr, Tay's thoughts immediately went to her alleys; to Xander, Camilla, Elise, Leo, Laslow, Beruka, Selena, Peri... Niles.  
The queen inched closer, a big mistake as Tay took the opportunity to spit in her face. The anger on the queens face was - as Niles would have described it - absolutely delicious.  
'You have no right to attack nohr. They have delivered me to you, now be silent.'  
The queen cleared her face with a handkerchief, her thin black eyebrows knitted together.  
'You dumb little thing. I can do whatever I want. My loss is not just less painful by killing you off. No, nohr had planned this. And they will pay for it.'  
Her intentions didn't seem genuine, as the queen didn't shed a tear. She looked triumphant, rather than bitter and depressed, revealing her true intensions and confirming all the rumors Tay had heard about her.  
'You are nothing.', Tae spoke, quietly yet firmly.  
'You're a nobody who just has a title. You're nobody. You don't have the power nor the smarts to take over nohr.'  
The queen kneeled down, meeting the archers gaze. Again, she grabbed her by the chin and bored her nails deeper into her skin after every word she spoke.  
'And who are you, huh? A dirty outlaw. You're less than I am. You don't even have the smarts to cheat your way to the top-'  
'I don't have the heart to cheat my way up, you ugly old hag.'  
Another slap for the day, before the queen commanded with flared nostrils and raging eyes to take Tay to the jail in the basement.  
'And announce the public execution.'  
She added over her shoulder, giving the younger woman another biting glare, before taking a seat again on the throne, adjusting her heavy golden crown.  
Tossed like an old toy, she found herself in a cold cell, not even a thin sheet or anything nearby.  
The night was not only cold, but also took her to the verge of madness as male criminals verbally harassed her, yelling from their own cells, the tears pooling in her eyes as she quietly let them slip down.  
Fear was the main cause for her pain - another thing was the fact that Leo didn't hesitate to give her up.  
At that point, she had to admit that she had loved the prince. She had loved him and got her heart broken - he didn't even know that he had done it.  
She didn't allow her last night to be plagued with heartache because of an arrogant prince though. No. She carefully thought about every single moment she could remember about her life, about every single face she had seen, about every time she didn't see Niles genuine adoration for her.  
And her last thought before she drifted to sleep on her last night went to him, to only him.

7  
The sky announced the time for the execution.  
Tay stood on the wooden mechanic that would end her life. The rope sat heavily on her shoulders as she remained expressionless - yet the tears streaming quietly down her cheeks screamed her entire inner chaos to the world.  
A soldier stood with a paper behind Tay and three other people who were supposed to get hung too, as the queen watched from her balcony, her gaze fixated on Tay who stared sternly back.  
'Number one: theft and murder. Number two: theft and blackmailing. Number three', the queen shifted somewhat excitedly in her seat as all eyes were glued to Tay.  
'Murder on the high prince.'  
She didn't even hear what the guy beside her had done as she was booed and things thrown at.  
'Ah fuck you.' She croaked, spitting into the crowd.  
Another soldier positioned himself next to the handle that would remove the ground beneath Tay's feet and take her to her end.  
'Down with queen Nathaniel!'  
The voice rang in her bones, making her eyes widen and the soldiers get in position to attack. The queen remained unimpressed on her balcony, fanning herself. Tay supposed that this happened often.  
'Show yourself!'  
Her heart hammered against her rib cage, she felt like her entire body would burst inside out at the sight of Niles, who stepped forward with the prince's sword in his hand.  
People around him began to whisper, at the sight of Matthews weapon, held by a simple outlaw.  
'The sword lit up in number threes touch.'  
The soldiers shot Nathaniel questioning looks as they brought their weapons closer to Niles body.  
The queen simply quirked her eyebrow, before she stood up and leaned against the railing.  
'The sword you have can't possibly be Matthews.'  
Niles turned around and smirked smugly up to the queen.  
'My, my. Why is that so, my beautiful queen?'  
Tay's insides wrenched at his choice of words, making him grin even more as he watched her from the corner of his eye.  
The queen pursed her lips and turned her attention to the crowd.  
'Only a true member of the Royal Victorian family can heave the holy sword. The stupid light means nothing.'  
The soldiers began to crowd around Niles for questioning their queen, making him fall into panic for a second. Then he raised his palm and proposed calmly:  
'Why not let number three wield the real sword then?'  
Nathaniel's face fell blank, her fair cheeks began to glow red in anger. However, she kept up the play and replied just as calmly:  
'She is bound do die right here, right now. Her case is done. Why would I make the effort and take her to the sword? Why make the effort to embarrass her even more for killing my only child? I am not that cruel.'  
The crowd seemed divided, as some people questioned her explanation.  
'Just let me do it, where's the problem? Or are your words not sincere? Are you scared of something, queen Nathaniel?'  
Tay's cheeks were drenched in tears as she spoke with a broken voice her last attempt at saving herself.  
Few civilians nodded in agreement, mumbling under their breaths as they glanced suspiciously at Nathaniel.  
'Let her do it.'  
Another voice from the crowd yelled, many more joining in.  
At some point the crowd was screaming and even fighting those who still stuck with the queen.  
'Hang them!' the queen screamed through the chaos.  
So it happened again.  
The rope felt like it belonged around her neck, as Tay felt the ground underneath her slide to the side.  
It was choking her, making her create deep rural noises coming from deep within her. The last screams for help, for mercy.  
And it happened again, that Niles cut the rope, this time with the fake holy sword.  
Tay stumbled back to her feet as she coughed heavily and touched her neck, her sight still clouded.  
Suddenly, she felt a hand pulling at her wrist, making her fall backwards. She didn't collide with the cold stone but with Niles warmth, as he wrapped his arms around her.  
'Niles -'  
Tay placed her palms flatly against his chest, as she pushed him a little roughly away and was circled by soldiers.  
'Grab her!' The queen croaked, her expression darkened as she disappeared behind the satin curtains, hurrying downstairs to asks for backup.  
Niles grinned, before he followed Tay's example and knocked everyone out who tried to hold her back from whatever place she wanted to go to.  
Of course - the chambers with the sword.  
Tay felt tears prickling in her eyes again, but didn't allow them to slip as she needed to focus and see clearly. She had no idea where she was running, all she did was meet other soldiers who began chasing after her - and to her surprise, some civilians joined Niles by fighting the soldiers who attacked Tay.  
A blonde young man ran up to her and yelled: 'Odin dark, to your service. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to rebel against that old hag. Her doings are UNACCEPTABLE and I do not fight for the evil-'  
Tay ignored him, slipping for a few steps on the carpet as she took a corridor to the right.  
'I, uhm, will have your back!' Odin said confidentially, briskly running behind her.  
Tay kicked door after door open, killed soldier after soldier, until she felt like giving in, her knees wobbly and weak.  
'Don't give up, justice warrior!' Odin pressed, lightly pushing her to another pair of doors.  
With her entire body weight she heaved the door open and jogged panting towards the sword, laying on a red cushion, shielded with a glass bell.  
'Odin! Help!' She screamed, as the magician tried his hardest to keep the doors closed. She didn't have the strength in her arms and barely the will in her heart to move the bell, as death seemed so close - maybe she should just let it take her.  
'I can't-'  
'Yes, you can!'  
Odin was turning around and shooting curses and spirits at incoming Victorian soldiers.  
And at his sight, Tay could feel something bubbling inside her, not allowing her to give into the temptation that was death. His determination became her determination.  
So she pushed, punch at the glass bell, the desperate expression on her face replaced by a serious mask.  
Odin slightly smirked in relief at her sudden determination, shutting the doors, taking a deep breath and running towards Tay, aiming for the glass bell  
The doors crashed open as he made the glass burst, cutting Tay who shielded her face.  
Whimpering in pain, she tried to grab the sword.  
'Go!' Odin screamed, a hint of panic swinging with his voice.  
Tay could finally ignore her pain for a second and could feel the sword under her fingertips.  
She wrapped them tightly around the handle and lifted the sword as easily as every other sword she had raised before.  
At the contact, the sword threw some sparks, developing into a force, pushing against everyone who was getting closer to Tay.  
Bodies clashed against the walls and one another as the archer watched with confusion how the force felt like it was piercing her skin, trying to get access to her veins, her system.  
And it felt like it was a good thing to happen.

8  
A year later  
Leo offered Camilla a hand as his gaze wandered around the lively flora around the castle of Victor.  
'Thank you, dear.' The princess smiled, as Elise jumped out of the carriage. 'Not so wild! This is an important meeting, don't be like this.' Leo hissed and approached her, brushing a stray lock behind her ear.  
'Why are you so cranky?' Huffed his sister and broke free from his grip, following her big sister to the soft pink roses which were grazing the way to the gigantic main entrance.  
'Brother... You don't have to do this if it brings back bad memories.' The magician could feel his brothers big hand on his shoulder. Leo shoved it off and closed his eyes for a second, before whispering: 'I am fine.'  
Xander followed his brother, worried.  
The nohrian royals were greeted by a bunch of soldiers and butlers, guiding them to the main hall of the bright castle.  
Sun shone through every window, white curtains waving in the wind. It was as if someone had tried to erase the darkness of this kingdom.  
'The queen asked to see Prince Leo alone first.' One of the soldiers announced.  
The siblings exchanged confused looks, as one of Elises retainers took a step forward. 'I am his retainer, I will have to go with him.'  
Before Elise could protest, Xander shot her a meaningful look.  
Ever since he had lost Niles and Tay, Leo had refused to replace them. He felt ashamed and couldn't simply 'replace them' especially after what he had put them through. He couldn't get himself to be this cruel again.  
But the request to see him alone seemed suspicious and unusual. Effies plan was clever, so he nodded, asked: 'so?'  
A maid nodded, so the soldier did too, and made way for the prince and Effie.  
The doors were barely heaved open, sun light flooding the entire hall and blinding the pair for a moment. Leo raised his hand to shield his face, as he could make out a faint silhouette through his fingertips, slowly entering.  
At the sound of the doors closing, he blinked through the brightness and stepped onto a shaded spot. And it was then when he could make up who sat there, at the round table.  
'Leo.'  
The prince felt his chest tighten, his skin losing color.  
'Tay. Why - what are you -?', he sunk to his knees, making Effie rush to him and steadying him. 'Prince Leo, what is happening?' She asked concerned, patting his cheek.  
'I-I'm fine.', he croaked. The queen approached, as Leo ordered Effie to leave.  
'But -'  
'she is not dangerous.'  
She obeyed, leaving the prince on the ground. Tay circled the table and slowly kneeled down in front of him.  
She was different, yet the same. She was a matured version of the woman Leo had met in the slums. A proud version.  
Her familiar long hair in a messy bun was replaced by short, curly hair. The fringe tied back, and a golden piece, similar to a necklace, sat on and around her head.  
Her eyes held a softness that was familiar to him. The softness was the same and he recognized her just by that.  
Quietly, he reached out for her cheeks, hesitant as he watched her reaction. She remained the same, a small smile curling on her lips as he laid both his palms around her cheeks.  
And the grin, the grin was still the same; happy and overdone and lips so stretched he thought they'd rip.  
He didn't want to take that smile away, not even with a kiss that he was probably not even allowed to steal, so he pressed his forehead against hers and closed his eyes, before a tear could escape.  
'I am... So sorry for everything.. That I have done to you.'  
-  
''The Victorian kingdom was a small, mysterious place. Some people didn't even know about its existence, or merely knew it as a province in Nohr. However, it was its own, independent monarchy and it had been that way for many centuries.  
King Victor, a powerful magician from Nohr, built up his own kingdom with his wife Alma. After the First World War the Gods gave the mightiest, fairest and strongest winners of it the power to build up a new world, trusting in their abilities and their good hearts as those were proven during the hard times of battle.  
Places like Nohr and Hoshido grew fast and steadily, whilst Victor or Valla remained small but alive.  
King Victor's first born daughter, princess Ysabelle, was kidnapped by rebels, and replaced by another baby girl.  
It was unknown until the girl grew up to be completely different from what Ysabelle should have been; at age 6, her hair was as black, her eyes as brown. But her abilities, those were the powers of a Hoshidan.  
Devastated, the king searched through his entire kingdom for his daughter. He cursed the sword he fought with during the war, his and Alma's blood needed, so it could sense where his real child could have been.  
It turned out that Ysabelle was not even in Victor anymore. The king searched for the rest of his life, and murdered the other child's family. The fate of the child is unknown.  
King Victor eventually reunited with his daughter, however she was incapable of taking the crown after his death as she grew up with a completely different background and wasn't educated enough.  
Queen Alma married again after King Victors death; a strong, good man who could be considered to have been Victors best friend.  
The queen and king Gerade had two boys.  
The sword Ysa was passed on from generation to generation. Only true Victorian royals could yield it.''  
Tay lifted her gaze from the book and took a step back from the podium.  
The wind grazed her cheeks, a few stray locks swaying. The sky was painted red, this time announcing the new day - a new era for Victor.  
And she raised the golden sword, shimmering in the first sun rays of the day.  
'Victorians', she began. 'You're queen, she has lied to all of you. Yes, Prince Matthew was indeed a true part of the royal family, his mother however was not anymore. The moment my father, King Fin, married my mother, that was the moment Nathaniel was no longer in charge and no longer part of Victors monarchy.'  
Thousands of eye pairs were focused on the young woman. She had never spoken in front of so many people - but she felt like she did very well doing so. She averted her gaze to the side, swinging the sword in her hands and approaching the chained up Nathaniel. Hair messy, eyes red and dull. Her skin was robbed of all color.  
Tay swung the sword one last time, giving the crowd the illusion that she had just slit the fallen queens throat - but she let the sword sink, before raising it again and pressing it against the skin of nathaniels neck.  
'The official papers of King Victor said that the first born child will take the crown as soon as it is 18. I am the first born child of the rightful queen, my mother.'  
The high court cast a spell on the historian books of Victor, making sure and proofing everyone that those books were valid - and that Nathaniels papers were not trustworthy. These immediately caught fire, after the magicians had spoken the last word of the spell.  
The green light that came from the spells died down, only the burning torches illuminated the scene.  
Tay slit nathaniels throat a bit, blood trickling down her neck, then removed the sword and took a step forward, facing the crowd which was gathered around the wide balcony from the royal castle above the time square.  
The high court nodded their heads to one another, as one of them, a man with silver hair in a ponytail and silver glasses, stepped forward, speaking to the crowd.  
'This woman speaks the truth and it is proven. Nathaniel was the queen, yes. But only until King Fin ended their relationship and removed her blood from the Royal bloodline. The true queen has been milady Tay's mother. However, as Tay herself is now 18 years old she will receive the title and honor as Queen of Victor.'  
Hesitation hung in the air. That would have been the moment for the people to erupt in cheers, but the civilians remained silent.  
Tay got the hint and softly placed her hand on the mans hand, nodding and walking forward.  
She took a deep breath. And spoke, she spoke her hearts true desire.  
'I grew up in the slums of Nohr. I know how it feels to be oppressed and treated like shit by some so called higher person. I see why you are suspicious. I'd be too. But I am begging you to give me a chance to prove myself as good queen. I want to work with you, not against you.'  
'We don't really have a choice anyway, do we?' Someone from the crowd screamed.  
Tay remained silent. It was true. But it was also true that she did want to be a good queen.  
'No you don't. But I promise you, that things will change.'  
Dooming gazes bored through her as she kneeled down to receive the crown, brought by one of the members of the high court.  
Her gaze fell in shame and fear, as she was not sure at all if she was doing the right thing.  
The crown sunk into her locks as she stood up and thanked the high court.  
And so it happened, that she turned from a prisoner to a royal.


End file.
